Veterans Receive Grants for Jobs Training

 The Department of Labor recently announced the distribution of 23 grants that will provide homeless veterans with job training resources.  The grants have a combined value of $5,436,148, and are distributed on behalf of the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service as part of the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP). The recipients of the awards include state and local workforce investment boards, local public agencies and non-profit organizations (including faith and community-based organizations).

“Too many of our veterans face difficulty making the transition from military service to the civilian labor force, and too many battle homelessness as a result,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “These grants will help more than 3,000 veterans in communities across the country access the resources they need to find good jobs and build bright futures for themselves and their families.”

While the application process for the awards was rigorously competitive, the grants have been spread across 15 different states. Depending on how this year’s program performs, the grants may only be the first round of offerings – an additional 3 years of grants are tentatively slated for release contingent upon measurable success.

The program provides veterans with a wealth of job related opportunities. The Vets HVRP Fact Sheet states: “The program is “employment focused” and veterans receive the employment and training services they need in order to re-enter the labor force. Job placement, training, job development, career counseling, resume preparation, are among the services that are provided. Supportive services such as clothing, provision of or referral to temporary, transitional, and permanent housing, referral to medical and substance abuse treatment, and transportation assistance are also provided to meet the needs of this target group.”